Bengals Bytes (4/12): Benched

Tarell Basham 'looks like' potential Panthers, Bengals pick

One NFL reporter believes Ohio DE Tarell Basham is a natural fit for the Panthers and Bengals. Both Carolina and Cincinnati both employ a base 4-3 defense, and Basham's 6-foot-4, 269-pound frame fits the defensive end slot in each of their scheme's perfectly. One NFC Scout believes "he is similar to Carl Lawson but I think you can get him probably a couple of rounds later or maybe more. I think he can still get a lot better as a pass rusher," per NFL.com.

McCaffrey to Bengals in Liskiewitz's mock draft

Analyst Josh Liskiewitz kicks off PFF's "Mock Week" with his first mock draft of the offseason, sending Christian McCaffrey to Cincinnati at No. 9. This mock is working strictly off a personal board, which is unlikely to even match the final collective board at Pro Football Focus.

Bengals trade for backup Jags DE

The Bengals have apparently devoted the month of April to trying upgrade the pass rush in any fashion. Less than three weeks before a draft they are expected to take at least two edge rushers from among their 11 selections, they swung a deal Tuesday when they sent a 2018 conditional draft selection to Jacksonville for a late fifth-round pick who has played just 19 games over three seasons in defensive end Chris Smith. The 6-1, 266-pound Smith appears to be a pure speed rusher who plays on passing downs on the edge and maybe down inside as well.

D-Line prepares for influx

The Bengals are prepared to look anywhere and everywhere for pass rushers this offseason and they started their search Tuesday when they traded a conditional draft pick for Jaguars back-up defensive end Chris Smith.

Going Deep in 2017 NFL Draft: Bengals add to every unit except quarterback

The Cincinnati Bengals have 11 picks in the NFL Draft, including No. 9 in the first round April 27 in Philadelphia. Look around the NFL, and when an offense struggles, it’s often because of issues on the line. The Bengals hope that won’t be the case this year following an offseason that saw the departures of tackle Andrew Whitworth and guard Kevin Zeitler. That’s a lot of talent gone.

Report: Leonard Fournette visiting Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are doing their homework on some of the 2017 NFL Draft's top running backs, and they are turning their attention to the player many view as the best the position has to offer. LSU's Leonard Fournette is visiting the club on Tuesday, per ESPN. Fournette is the No. 1 RB in NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock's ranking of the top 5 players at each position.

2017 NFL Mock Draft: Cincinnati Bengals select Jonathan Allen

Coming off their first losing season since 2010, the Cincinnati Bengals are a team at the crossroads. In order to return to the playoffs, they must improve in several areas. Mike Brown has never been among the most active general manager in free agency, and with that phase of 2017 offseason betterment largely in the rear-view mirror, I don’t expect it to suddenly become his modus operandi. That leaves the draft as his only real opportunity to get things back on track, before the bullets start flying in September.

AFC North Bytes

Steelers visiting with Tim Williams, who has his own off-field concerns

While he hasn’t gotten the attention of a Joe Mixon, Alabama outside linebacker Tim Williams also presents a bit of a quandary for NFL teams this spring, as they try to weigh obvious production against the uncertainty created by off-field issues.

#HeyTony: What to make of report Browns considering taking Mitch Trubisky with No. 1 overall pick?

What would be better than selecting the draft’s top pass rusher? The answer: Selecting the draft’s top pass rusher and adding an extra second-round draft pick as a bonus. This could be the Browns’ best-case scenario. How could this be done? By enticing a trade of the No. 1 pick to a team in the top five of the draft that desires Trubisky. The theory behind the Garrett-v.-Trubisky debate could be this: Recent draft intel suggests the Bears at No. 3 are liking Trubisky a whole bunch despite the team’s signing of Mike Glennon in free agency.

Ozzie Newsome's draft maneuvering could loom large for the Ravens

General manager Ozzie Newsome has made a trade in 15 straight drafts, so at some point this month, you’ll probably see the Ravens get on or off the clock when you’re not expecting it. In fact, it’s more a matter of when than if.

Report: Steelers love Jabrill Peppers

The Steelers had Alabama linebacker Tim Williams in for a visit on Tuesday and he was joined by Villanova defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon, who joins Williams as a pass rushing prospect in this year’s draft class.

Random Bytes

Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: Scout's Predictions for Every First Round Pick

One of my favorite things to do before the draft each year is to reach out to a longtime NFC scout to get the lay of the draft land. In this special edition of the 10-Point Stance, we'll give our trusted scout the floor to talk about each team and where they fit into this year's draft story.

2017 NFL Draft: Latest Buzz Surrounding Every Team

The majority of the preparation is complete, yet the NFL world is still buzzing with possibilities as the 2017 NFL draft nears. The search for information never stops. Up until the very point when a team hands in the card with a player's name on it, an advantage can be gained from a single nugget of info. With 15 days remaining before the start of the 2017 NFL draft, a lot can be gained by noticing trends throughout the league.

Demaryius Thomas: I can be the guy to get offense sparking

Catching 90 passes for 1,083 yards and five touchdowns would typically be seen as a strong season for an NFL wide receiver, but the response to Broncos wideout Demaryius Thomas‘ 2016 campaign wasn’t greeted with non-stop fanfare.

Cuban wanted to let Romo play

Late in Tuesday’s game between the NBA’s Mavericks and Nuggets in Dallas, fans were chanting, “We want Romo!” Owner Mark Cuban wanted to give them what they wanted.